The Daily Iowan Pregame - 9.22.23

The Daily Iowan

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Pregame Editor

Matt McGowan matthew-r-mcgowan@uiowa.edu

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Five things to watch

Matt McGowan Pregame Editor matthew-r-mcgowan@uiowa.edu

1. Winning the turnover battle

I know this might soun d cliche, but those high school coaches are right. Iowa cannot afford to give up the football more than they take it away, especially against Penn State. Just look at what the Nittany Lions did to Illinois last weekend, as Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer threw four interceptions and running back Josh McCray fumbled. Penn State later scored following four of these turnovers, making the difference in a 30-13 victory.

This means that Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara can’t throw picks and should err on the side of caution in tight coverage, especially considering Penn State’s stellar secondary. The Nittany Lions may not have Joey Porter Jr. anymore, but third-year Kalen King has the potential to take his spot and then some. King earned preseason first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus in 2023. His 18 pass breakups last season were best in the Big Ten. I’m not expecting another blocked punt 14 years later, but if Iowa can keep hold of the football, then they will stand a chance against a top-ranked squad.

2. Bracing for White Out crowd

It’s not as if the Hawkeyes haven’t played in front of a large, hostile crowd before. Running back Leshon Williams remembered Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, as being somewhat similar to what Iowa will see on Saturday. Even still, Penn State’s Beaver Stadium not only holds more fans but has been known to disrupt the flow of the offense.

Iowa receiver Seth Anderson said the team has been practicing with the team facility’s speakers blasting crowd noise all week, but such an artificial environment can only go so far. The Iowa offensive line must avoid false starts. One of the last things this offense needs is to start with the ball five yards back, especially considering the lack of weapons donning the Black and Gold. Williams said he hopes to quell the noise of the 106,000-plus crowd, but doing so will require discipline in the huddle and line of scrimmage. Iowa players need to know the snap count like the back of their hands.

3. Prime-time debut for first-year RBs

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said yesterday that running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson would not play this week against the Nittany Lions. Listed at the top of the current depth chart is Williams, who posted a career-best with 175 total yards in Week 3 against Western Michigan. The Chicago native said he has moved on from that past success and has instead dedicated himself to focusing on Saturday night at Happy Valley. Williams’ short-term memory is a must-have quality for first-years Kamari Moulton and Terrell Washington Jr., both of whom Ferentz said will play on Saturday.

While Moulton scored twice last week against the Broncos, Washington ran six times for 31 yards. This week in Happy Valley will be a much greater challenge for the duo. Not only will it be their first time playing in a road collegiate game, but the crowd and natural grass at Beaver Stadium will pose other challenges. With Williams leading the way, the pair won’t have to do the heavy lifting, but they still need to be productive and hold onto the ball.

4. Receiving corps without Lachey

Ferentz also confirmed Tuesday that tight end Luke Lachey will “most likely” be out for the remainder of the season. Now starting at TE, Erick All has played in a White Out game before while with Michigan, so expect the transfer to be McNamara’s new favorite target on Saturday.

Outside of the tight end position, Iowa’s wide receivers will also have to step up their game. Pass-catcher Diante Vines said he is well aware of the athleticism of Penn State’s corners. Being able to obtain separation will be huge, especially on third-and-long plays. Saturday might also be the day the Iowa faithful finally see Ohio State-transfer receiver Kaleb Brown step up in the offense, as the former four-star recruit got his first touch in the Black and Gold last week.

5. Giving up big plays

While the Iowa defense hasn’t given up an absurd amount of points this season, yielding around 12 points per contest, the Hawkeyes have a bad tendency to give up big plays. Against Western Michigan last week, the Iowa “D” let up a 64-yard passing touchdown in the first quarter and then another long-bomb later in the game, which was called off due to a penalty. The touchdown was a clear miscommunication in the secondary. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar and Co. will take advantage of these miscues.

OFFENSE

QB 12 Cade McNamara Sr

10 Deacon Hill Soph

RB 4 Leshon Williams Jr

28 Kamari Moulton Fr

FB 88 Hayden Large Sr

41 Rusty VanWetzinga Fr

WR 0 Diante Vines Jr

3 Kaleb Brown Soph

WR 89 Nico Ragaini Sr

6 Seth Anderson Soph

TE 83 Erick All Sr

87 Addison Ostrenga Soph

LT 78 Mason Richman Jr

71 Jack Dotzler #Fr

LG 56 Nick DeJong Sr

60 Rusty Feth Sr

C 65 Logan Jones Jr

76 Tyler Elsbury Jr

RG 77 Connor Colby Jr

70 Beau Stephens Soph

RT 67 Gennings Dunker Soph

79 Daijon Parker Sr

PK 18 Drew Stevens Soph

DEFENSE

LE 45 Deontae Craig Jr

48 Max Llewellyn Soph

LT 94 Yahya Black Jr

95 Aaron Graves Soph

RT 85 Logan Lee Sr

55 Jeremiah Pittman Soph

RE 13 Joe Evans Sr

49 Ethan Hurkett Jr

37 Kyler Fisher Sr

29 Sebastian Castro Sr

MLB 34 Jay Higgins Sr

41 Jaden Harrell Soph

WLB 10 Nick Jackson Sr

37 Kyler Fisher Sr

CB 3 Cooper DeJean Jr

2 TJ Hall Soph

SS 1 Xavier Nwankpa Soph

29 Sebastian Castro Sr

FS 30 Quinn Schulte Sr

4 Koen Entringer #Fr

CB 27 Jermari Harris Jr

8 Deshaun Lee #Fr

P 9 Tory Taylor Sr

OFFENSE

QB 15 Drew Allar Soph

9 Beau Pribula #Fr

RB 10 Nicholas Singleton Soph

13 Kaytron Allen Soph

WR-X 6 Harrison Wallace III Soph

5 Omari Evans Soph

WR-Z 1 KeAndre Lambert-Smith Sr

11 Malik McClain Jr

WR-SL 2 Liam Clifford Soph

7 Kaden Saunders #Fr

TE 84 Theo Johnson Jr

44 Tyler Warren Jr

LT 74 Olumnuyiwa Fashanu Jr

71 Ibrahim Traore Jr

LG 56 JB Nelson Jr

71 Olaivavega Ioane #Fr

C 64 Hunter Nourzad Sr

79 Addison Penn Jr

RG 77 Sal Wormley Sr

53 Nick Dawkins Jr

RT 73 Caedan Wallace Sr

66 Drew Shelton Soph

PK 91 Alex Felkins Sr

DEFENSE

DE 44 Chop Robinson Jr

15 Amin Vanover Jr

DT 51 Hakeem Beamon Sr

91 Dvon Ellies Sr

DT 28 Zane Durant Soph

52 Jordan van den Berg Soph

DE 20 Adisa Isaac Sr

33 Dani Dennis-Sutton Soph

WLB 11 Abdul Carter Soph

32 Keon Wylie #Fr

MLB 41 Kobe King Soph

43 Tyler Elsdon Jr

SLB 23 Curtis Jacobs Jr

00 Dominic DeLuca Soph

CB 3 Johnny Dixon Sr

5 Cam Miller Soph

SS 21 Kevin Winston Jr Soph

2 Keaton Ellis Sr

FS 1 Jaylen Reed Jr

6 Zakee Wheatley Soph

CB 4 Kalen King Jr

12 Zion Tracy Fr

P 95 Riley Thompson Sr

Leo/ Cash

PENN STATE -14 IOWA +14

This is a national championship-caliber Penn State team, and I don’t think Iowa can keep up. The Hawkeyes still feature a top-20 team in terms of scoring defense, but they now rank 69th in Defensive Rushing Success Rate. That’s not good, especially considering Penn State’s star running backs.

OVER 40.5

Penn State ranks 11th in Finishing Drives, meaning that they tend to score touchdowns instead of settling for field goals when they cross their opponent’s 40-yard line. Plus, Iowa running back Leshon Williams can shine after a big game last week.

OREGON -21

Colorado has stayed overvalued in spite of going to double-overtime against Colorado State.

Penn State’s Week 3 performance against Illinois gives me hope that the Hawkeyes stay within the number on this one. Iowa’s defense and special teams proved last week that they can create success. Plus, Iowa will rely on the run game to eat clock, giving Penn State less time to score.

UNDER 40.5

Fun fact: every Big Ten conference game this season has hit the under — I should definitely knock on some wood after saying that. Even so, the weather at State College on Saturday night calls for rain, meaning we’ve got a battle in the trenches.

The Falcons boast one of the best defenses in the nation, allowing just 179 yards per game.

Ruden’s 2023 record: 6-3

McGowan’s 2023 record: 6-3

The Daily Iowan’s official bettor’s guide to Iowa football’s Week 4 matchup with Penn State.

Outward strength, inward dedication

Iowa center Logan Jones devotes himself to not only football, but to his family.

Matt McGowan Pregame Editor matthew-r-mcgowan@uiowa.edu

Before he was one of the biggest players on the field, Iowa center Logan Jones was the smallest. Jones signed up in second grade for a tackle-football team in Council Bluffs, Iowa. While admitting he was always a bigger kid growing up, Jones said he was the tiniest guy in cleats that day.

It only took one play for Jones to regret his decision to put on a helmet.

“I was probably playing safety or linebacker or something, and these two dudes just absolutely lit me up,” Jones said. “I just got absolutely destroyed, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hate this. This is ridiculous.’”

Four years later, Jones was the one delivering the hits. The sixth grader was a striper, meaning he exceeded the league weight limit and wasn’t allowed to touch the ball.

There was one exception to the rule — kicking.

Jones’ mother, Larae, told The Daily Iowan of one instance where Jones booted a kickoff, then sprinted downfield and tackled the returner as soon as he caught the ball.

Once a boy who was knocked around by others, Jones grew to be a unique physical talent who could adapt seamlessly between and within sports. Such talent arrived with strict dedication and a will to succeed, a devotion that the Hawkeye offensive lineman carries with him off the field.

Curious adventuring

One of Larae’s objectives in parenting was to not let her son play too many video games. As a result, she limited Jones’ screen time by encouraging the boy to play outside. The young Jones eventually became fond of the outdoors and spent most of his time on the swings at the park or on the concrete shooting baskets.

Larae described her son as having an inquisitive side to him, adding that sometimes such curiosity led to a little mischief. When Jones was four years old, he pulled the fire alarm at the family’s apartment complex, causing an evacuation of the entire building.

Even after receiving a talking-to from firefighters, Jones committed the same act a few years later at a hotel his family was staying at.

“I think he learned his lesson because he got in a little bit of trouble for that one,” Larae said. “Ever since he was little, he just was always needing or wanting to do something. Always on

the go, [he had] busy hands.”

Jones’ distaste for sitting still fueled what his mom called an “unreal” work ethic. Constantly asking for extra practice reps, Jones divided his spare time between football, basketball, and track and field. Such determination and well-roundedness didn’t go unnoticed.

Strength, speed, and effort

Justin Kammrad has been on the coaching staff at Lewis Central High School since 2014. Kammrad said he remembers scouting a middle-school-aged Jones, but not on the football field. For the coach, what stood out about Jones was his speed, noting how the lineman was a 100-meter and 200-meter champion in junior high.

“There weren’t many guys who were going to outrun him,” the coach said.

Such speed served Jones well while on the Titans, especially in the pass rush. Kammrad explained how the staff could line Jones up on the edge as a defensive lineman, knowing that he could easily chase down any quarterback.

Always up for competition, Jones tested

his speed countless times in races against Lewis Central’s quarterback, Max Duggan, who led TCU to the College Football Playoff last season. Weighing in at 250-260 pounds, Jones couldn’t beat Duggan but always held a close gap.

After playing mostly at the center position during his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Jones made the switch to offensive tackle as an upperclassman to make room for other talented players. During those two years, the Titans went a combined 21-3 while advancing to the state semifinals twice.

Even playing on the offensive line, Jones made a hefty contribution to the defensive side of the ball over his final two years, with 82 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks. He was crowned the state’s Lineman of the Year each season.

The college offers came rolling in during the summer of 2017. First in the wave was Minnesota in July, followed by Iowa State less than two months later. Iowa came calling the following March. And by the time Nebraska got around to extending a scholarship, it was already too late. Jones was a Hawkeye.

Humble record-setter

Throughout the recruiting process, Kammrad said Jones never posted his accomplishments on social media and wasn’t focused on trying to get as many offers as possible.

“He’s a team-first person. He’s not an ‘I’ person at all,” Kammrad said. “He’s not going to talk a whole lot about what he does unless you ask him about it.”

Indeed, Jones lets his play and work ethic speak for themselves.

When asked to describe Jones, one of the first things many will say about him is “he’s quiet.” Kammrad said Jones wasn’t much of a vocal person, but when the pads came on, the lineman made plenty of noise.

Whether against in-game foes or his own teammates in practice, Jones would turn heads. When blocking, Kammrad said Jones would “put guys on roller skates,” driving defenders 10-15 yards downfield and into the ground.

“The older and stronger he got, the louder the thud was on the ground when he was taking people down,” Kammrad said.

Aside from getting reps in against live competition, Jones would spend just as much time on individual work. Kammrad recalled how often, after a two-and-a-half-hour practice, every player and coach would depart the field except for Jones. For an extra half-hour, Jones would hit the seven-man blocking sled, working on hand placement, drive, and his first step.

The same sense of determination applied to the weight room, as Jones broke nearly every Lewis Central lifting record.

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins said he kept tabs on the all-state lineman during Jones’ recruiting process, noting that Jones was one of the quietest guys on the team. Referring to Jones as an “absolute beast,” Higgins “quickly realized he was the most hard-working dude.”

Even though Jones narrowly lost to fellow Hawkeye Gennings Dunker in the hay bale toss over the summer, he still holds Iowa’s all-time max squat record at 700 pounds.

Yet according to Larae, her son never told her about his squat record until one day she and Jones were walking together inside the Hansen Performance Center when she noticed his name on the record board.

“‘Mom, it’s not that big of a deal,’” Larae remembers her son said. “‘I broke the record.’”

“Well, no kidding,” Larae replied. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“‘Well, I’m just doing what I’m supposed to.’”

Off the field, Jones may not win at every acti-

Grace Smith | The Daily Iowan Iowa center Logan Jones prepares to snap the ball during a football game between Iowa and Western Michigan at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Sept. 16. The Hawkeyes defeated the Broncos, 41-10.

vity he does, but he never shies away from competition. Whether it’s playing Flappy Golf 2 with Hawkeye defensive linemen Ethan Hurkett and Joe Evans in Iowa City or board games with his family back home, Jones’ passion and energy are plain to see.

According to Larae, Jones will get loud and “jump out of his seat” playing the card game Kemps. No matter if it’s on the field or at the table, Jones wants his team to win. This attitude allowed the lineman to adapt, and midway through his career with the Hawkeyes, such flexibility was necessary.

Line shift

After redshirting his freshman season and missing most of his sophomore campaign with a knee injury, Jones, then a defensive lineman, was the subject of many rumors. It was the spring of 2022, and former standout Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum had been selected 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Draft.

The common belief around the facility was that Jones would be the heir apparent to the 2021 unanimous All-American selection. The lineman didn’t know what to believe until one day he was eating lunch in the All-American room at the facility, only to have an unexpected guest in Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

“Coach Feretnz said, ‘Logan, can I talk to you?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, it’s real,’” Jones remembers. Ferentz introduced the idea of changing posi-

tions but gave the lineman some time to think about it.

Larae remembers Jones calling her about the possible shift. Asking her son how he felt, Jones told her he would miss playing for Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell but, at the end of the day, would do “whatever was in the best interest of our team.”

After only playing in two collegiate games, Jones’ goal wasn’t to attack the quarterback but rather to keep him protected. Now at center, the lineman had not only Linderbaum’s position to fill but also a complex, critical position to remaster.

From not being allowed to touch the ball back in his youth, Jones would be the one touching the ball on every offensive down. The success of any play all started with how well he delivered the ball to the quarterback and how accurately he could read defensive fronts. A high snap or not making the correct call could kill the play before it even began.

That first season at center was one of strict memorization for Jones. The lineman said at this year’s spring practice that he didn’t really know the purpose behind the nuances of the position and, at times, was lacking in confidence.

Snapping a ball too early or making an incorrect call was frustrating for the then-21-year-old, but this dissatisfaction didn’t quell his desire to improve. Working with Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett, Hawkeye backup center Tyler Elsbury, and even former NFL offensive

lineman James Ferentz over the offseason, Jones said he has become more in tune with his fundamentals and “slowed things down” at the line of scrimmage.

“He’s first-class in every way,” Kirk Ferentz said of Jones. “You’d never know right now the shortness of his duration [at the center position] because he makes it look pretty easy... Every rep is going to help him because he takes it the right way.”

Family first

When the center isn’t dedicated to keeping quarterback Cade McNamara’s uniform clean, he’s keeping an eye out for his mom and older sister, Madysen.

other’s “biggest supporters.” Jones will still call Madysen if he needs advice or simply wants to make sure that his clothes match.

When Jones had surgery on his knee in 2021, COVID-19 restrictions only allowed one family member to be at the hospital. Madysen assumed this one person would be her. When Larae told her otherwise, her daughter was less than pleased.

“She didn’t even end up going with me; she was so mad at me,” Larae remembered.

A few weeks following the operation, Jones was back in Iowa City but had difficulty getting to and from his classes. In response, Madysen, who was attending the University of South Dakota at the time, drove the five hours to Iowa City, staying with her brother for the last week of school and driving him around.

Jones remembers his mom and sister being at every one of his games, home or away. Even when he wasn’t going to see the field, they would still be supporting him from the stands.

“It’s always been us three,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my mom and sister.”

Larae said when she’s in town, Jones will offer up his house for his mom to stay at, and when she makes the three-hour drive back to Council Bluffs, her son will always call to make sure she gets home safely.

For Larae, her son and daughter are each

On the wall of his bedroom at home, Jones has a taped-up sign that says, “What’s your why?” For Jones, his goal of self-improvement wasn’t to show off to others but to support the betterment of his two teams: the Hawkeyes and his family.

As Larae always told him, “‘Don’t be flashy about things. Just go to work.’”

“It’s always been us three. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my mom and sister.”

Logan Jones Iowa center

One on One: Deacon Hill

The Daily Iowan Pregame Editor Matt McGowan spoke with the Hawkeye backup quarterback at Iowa football’s media day on Aug. 11.

Matt McGowan Pregame Editor matthew-r-mcgowan@uiowa.edu

The Daily Iowan: We’re going to do a quick one-on-one thing here to try to get to know you. I know you played in Wisconsin and spent some time there. Have you ever tried the cheese curds?

Deacon Hill: I have, yeah. They’re very tasty.

With ranch?

Yeah. I’m a ranch guy.

Have you tried marinara sauce with them?

Yeah. I’m a little bit more of a ranch guy, but it was still good.

You’ve got a Superman chain there. Very nice. Are you a big fan of Superman?

Yeah. I kind of liked how it looked when I was looking around.

So you collect jewelry?

A little bit. I used to have another one, but I left it back home. For now, I just rock with this for a while, so I might as well keep it.

What’s the best thing you’ve seen about Iowa so far?

The guys. We’re really tight here. I think everybody is. Some locker rooms are kind of divided like [between] defense and offense, but I think everybody here is really tight. Being able to be close to a lot of guys is probably the coolest part for me.

Why number 10?

So when I was a kid, my parents and my family wanted me to wear [number] four because I was the fourth child, but for some reason, I was like, ‘No, I want to wear 10.’ Ever since I was a kid, I’ve worn it, so it’s kind of my number, my lucky number.

Do you have siblings?

Yeah, I have three older sisters.

Oh, man. What was it like growing up in that environment?

It was really cool growing up with them. My oldest sister is 31, and the second is 29, so they’re a lot older than me. They all found their husbands [in their] freshman and sophomore years of college, so I grew up kind of having three older sisters and two older brothers. It was really cool growing up with them, seeing life from their perspective, and getting their advice and stuff.

What has it been like working with Cade? What kind of person is he?

It’s been really great. He’s a great dude, a great leader. I think being able to pick his brain on certain things with his experience playing at the college level — that’s been the biggest thing for me — trying to learn that and grasp that experience. For me, I think it’s been great to have him here, to come in at the same time, and learn together; so that’s been the best part.

Do you have any stories about his competitiveness?

I think every practice there’s a new story. He chirps a lot to the defense. He likes to chirp. They chirp back, but he really gets after it when

the offense has a big play or something. He’ll really get after it; so it’s funny.

He dishes it out. Can he take it?

Oh, yeah. Yeah. He’ll come back and strike right back, so he lives for that stuff.

What’s your favorite food?

I’m a big Mexican food guy. Back home in Santa Barbara, Cajun Kitchen is my favorite spot. It’s local; it’s our family restaurant, so it’s probably there.

What’s your favorite dish there?

Probably huevos rancheros. Those are really good.

And what’s a food that everyone else likes, and you’re just like, ‘This isn’t that good. I don’t like it.’

I’m not a huge cheese guy.

But you like cheese curds, though? Like a cheeseburger, stuff you just kind of put cheese on like sandwiches and stuff, I’m not a huge [fan].

So you just go straight hamburger? Yeah.

That’s pretty rare for someone to say, ‘I’m just going hamburger, no cheese.’ Cutting out the dairy, I don’t know. You do you. That should be it. Thank you so much.

Yeah, of course.

Find more online: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Read the full interview at dailyiowan.com.

Colin Votzmeyer Assistant Sports Editor

WEEK FOUR

Power Rankings

1. Michigan

Blake Corum turns on a different gear on Saturdays.

Friday | 6 p.m. |

Wisconsin (2-1, 0-0)

Purdue (1-2, 0-0)

Ross-Ade Stadium

West Lafayette, IN

This will serve as the Badgers’ second big test of the season. Can they comfortably put themselves up one in the Big Ten West standings? Or will there be cause for concern?

Line: Wisconsin -6.5 | O/U: 53.5

Saturday | 2:30 p.m. |

Florida Atlantic (1-2, 0-0)

Illinois (1-2, 0-1)

Memorial Stadium

Champaign, IL

Illinois needs to stop scheduling clowns for non-conference games if it wants to be considered a big name in the Big Ten. There’s no reason this game should be close.

Line: Illinois -12 | O/U: 49

Saturday | 2:30 p.m. |

Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0)

Nebraska (1-2, 0-1)

Memorial Stadium

Lincoln, NE

Illinois, meet Nebraska. The Cornhuskers probably paid the Bulldogs big money for this game, but it could be closer than you’d expect.

Line: Nebraska -19.5 | O/U: 49

Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |

No. 24 Iowa (3-0, 0-0)

No. 7 Penn State (3-0, 1-0)

Beaver Stadium

University Park, PA

Saturday | 11 a.m. |

Rutgers (3-0, 1-0)

No. 2 Michigan (3-0, 0-0)

Michigan Stadium

Ann Arbor, MI

Rutgers has been a silent sleeper team this year. I think they can give J.J. McCarthy and Co. a run for their money, but it’s going to be tough in the Big House.

Line: Michigan -25 | O/U: 44.5

Saturday | 2:30 p.m. |

Maryland (3-0, 0-0)

Michigan State (2-1, 0-0)

Spartan Stadium

East Lansing, MI

This will be a bloodbath. Michigan State is in limbo right now, and the Tagovailoa genes are acting up. The Terrapins could be ranked soon.

Line: Maryland -6 | O/U: 53.5

Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |

No. 6 Ohio State (3-0, 1-0)

No. 9 Notre Dame (4-0)

Notre Dame Stadium

South Bend, IN

I wanted to go to this game, but $500 for a ticket is absurd. That should tell you all you need to know about this one: Game of the Week.

Line: Ohio State -3 | O/U: 54.5

2. Ohio State

318 passing yards from Kyle McCord means the Buckeyes are finding their footing.

3. Penn State

It shouldn’t have played Illinois as closely as it did. Buckeyes up.

4. Iowa

Any Hawkeye fan was sweating bullets in that first half.

5. Wisconsin

The Badgers need to play a real football team to save their season.

6. Maryland

Taulia Tagovailoa continues to fuel this juggernaut offense.

7. Rutgers

I’ve been impressed by the Scarlet Knights thus far.

8. Minnesota

The Golden Gophers are the most disappointing team in the Big Ten this season.

9. Michigan State

The Spartans felt the absence of head coach Mel Tucker last week. What a blowout.

Don’t sleep on the White Out game. The Hawkeyes are going to play the Nittany Lions closer than any football fan expects, but will the offense have enough juice?

Line: Penn State -14 | O/U: 41

Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |

Akron (1-2, 0-0)

Indiana (1-2, 0-1)

Memorial Stadium

Bloomington, IN

Indiana has to play small towns in Ohio to beef up its record. Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr. might win the Heisman. My friend bet $200 dollars he’d win it in 2021. Not in an IU uniform, buddy!

Line: Indiana -17 | O/U: 45

10. Illinois

The defense can’t bear the whole brunt of this atrocious offense.

11. Purdue

A two-possession loss to Syracuse? Come on.

12. Indiana

How did the Hoosiers fumble Michael Penix Jr.?

Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |

Minnesota (2-1, 1-0)

Northwestern (1-2, 0-1)

Ryan Field

Evanston, IL

Two very dissapointing teams to watch this season on a Saturday night. And at Ryan Field? I’d rather watch paint dry on BTN.

Line: Minnesota -13 | O/U: 38

13. Nebraska

A great win against a bad FCS school. I’m not impressed.

14. Northwestern

The Wildcats got back to what they know: losing.

On The Line

The Daily Iowan staff share their predictions and thoughts on this week’s upcoming games.

PENN STATE

Adrian Clayborn, you’ve still got a uniform lying around?

OLE MISS

Eli Manning tends to haunt the great ones. What a rebel, that guy.

UTAH

Utah. Clobbers. Los. Angeles.

OHIO STATE

I would feel a bit guilty tailgating with Touchdown Jesus watching.

OREGON

I’m just here for the Deion Sanders and Phil Knight jersey swap.

OREGON STATE

What do beavers have against running water?

IOWA

I said it on the podcast, so I have to stick with it.

OLE MISS

Worst Bama team in a long time.

UTAH The mascot’s name is cool.

IOWA

It would be a disrespect to Roy Higgins to say otherwise.

ALABAMA

They always forget about Cooper Manning.

UTAH

The Utes’ stadium is a sight for sore eyes.

PENN STATE

It’ll be closer than people think, but injuries will hinder the Hawks.

OLE MISS

Bama struggled against a high-powered offense this season.

UCLA The Bruins get the upset on the road.

IOWA

The great Kevin Garnett once said, “Anything is possible!!!!!!!”

ALABAMA

We don’t see three mediocre games in a row from the Crimson Tide.

UCLA

Gotta back my new second-favorite team.

PENN STATE

White Out, at night, is a bad combination.

ALABAMA

Tide will turn it around at some point, right? Right?

UTAH

The battle of 3-0 teams for the last time in the PAC-12.

PENN STATE Iowa keeps it close, but this offense isn’t ready for White Out.

ALABAMA

Don’t count out Nick Saban just yet.

UTAH

The PAC-12 is going out with a bang this season.

OHIO STATE Notre Dame will keep it close.

COLORADO

The universe just seems to be on Colorado’s side.

WASHINGTON STATE RIP PAC-12.

NOTRE DAME

My sister goes there. Hi Kiera!

COLORADO

They all doubted me in Week 1. Doubt me again.

WASHINGTON STATE Spencer Petras decommitted from Oregon State for a reason.

OHIO STATE

“Swag like Ohio” - Lil B.

OREGON

I once owned a pair of Deion Sanders’ Nike shoes in Oregon colors.

WASHINGTON STATE

The Cougars have a playmaker at QB.

NOTRE DAME

The Irish finally get lucky in a big-time matchup.

OREGON

The Louis Vuitton luggage was enough for TCU, but not for Eugene.

OREGON STATE

This OSU has the best chance of making the playoff .

OHIO STATE

The Buckeyes’ defense will be too good.

OREGON

Ducks derail Coach Prime.

WASHINGTON STATE Winner gets the PAC-2 title.

OHIO STATE

The Big Ten super-conference is better than no conference.

OREGON

I’m more than ready for this Colorado hype train to hit a roadblock.

OREGON STATE

The Battle of Nobody Wants Us.

‘Wise beyond her years’

Gabby Ford shows resilience in the face of a brain tumor, a condition she’s had for seven years.

Kate Perez Senior Reporter katharine-perez@uiowa.edu

Gabby Ford loves to give people hugs. After she started treatments for a brain tumor at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Gabby was unable to get out of bed and greet people with a hug. As a way to show her appreciation for the hospital workers, she started giving out Hershey’s Hugs candies to replace the hugs that she couldn’t give.

Now, Gabby can give hugs again as her tumor is shrinking after seven years of treatments. This weekend, Gabby will cheer on the Hawkeyes as the fourth 2023 Kid Captain this season.

Gabby first came to the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in February 2017. She was flown to the hospital after scans discovered a mass in her brain along with fluid buildup. After arriving at the hospital, Gabby was diagnosed with a common type of brain tumor called hypothalamic pilocytic astrocytoma.

DAY101. After advocating for several months, the drug was brought to UIHC in the fall of 2021. After two years of the clinical trial, the tumor is barely visible. A recent scan of Gab by’s brain shows a complete clinical response to the medication.

“You don’t ever want your child to have to go through a drug trial or to be on something you don’t know what the effects are going to be … but we felt like that was a risk worth taking.”

Additionally, the medication allows Gabby to treat the tumor from her home in Fairfield while going to high school.

UI Hematologist-Oncologist Andrew Gro ves said he has worked with Gabby since 2022, when he joined her team at UIHC. Groves added that the response of Gabby’s tumor to the clinical trial has been “remarkable.”

In his experience treating Gabby, Groves said she has always been “a delight to be aro und.”

“She has a very unique personality and is very wise beyond her years. She seems older than she is, so very smart, has a great, dry sense of humor, and is just very, very strong as well,” Groves said.

This weekend, Gabby and the Ford family will be cheering on the Hawkeyes as they travel to State College to play Penn State.

Since her first trip in 2017 at 10 years old, Gabby’s mother, Mandy, said she has undergone multiple brain surgeries and has worked with the oncology team, as well as various endocrinology and cardiac departments.

During the brain surgeries, doctors at UIHC removed as much of Gabby’s tumor as possible but couldn’t remove all of it. Gabby then started chemotherapy treatments, but the tumor increased in size.

Gabby then underwent an open craniotomy, which is a surgery that removes part of the bone flap from the skull to make the brain accessible. After that surgery and more chemotherapy, the tumor still grew.

In 2021, Mandy learned of a clinical drug trial targeting the exact tumor mutation that Gabby was experiencing. This medication was called

The family recently came to Iowa City to attend Kids’ Day at Kinnick, where Gabby was able to walk on the field and take a tour of the stadium. Gabby liked seeing the visitor team’s locker room, which is painted a bubblegum -pink color.

“It’s not nearly as pink as my room,” Gabby said.

While the Fords are not traveling to Pennsy lvania to see this weekend’s matchup, they will be in attendance at the Sept. 30 Homecoming game. Gabby is excited to do the wave inside the stadium and to be on the field, even though the Fords are not a big football family.

Overall, Mandy said the experience with UIHC has been phenomenal. Above all else, the focus has always been on Gabby and her health, she said.

“It’s been a team effort,” Mandy said. “That’s really the best way to say it. Everybody [is] working together and trying to do what’s the best option for Gabby, what’s best for her quality of life.”

Contributed by Mandy Ford of Gabby Ford

“It’s not nearly as pink as my room.”

Gabby Ford Kid Captain on the visiting team’s locker room at Kinnick Stadium.